country bumpkin

Kong Xiuyan didn't wake up all night, and Liu Fangxiang got up several times in the middle of the night to check on her.

She was extremely worried and put her finger under her nostril to check; thankfully, it was just even breathing.

It shouldn't be a big problem. Maybe she's just too tired, or maybe she's let go of her worries and given up completely. She's sleeping soundly now.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Liu Fangxiang woke up. She was still worried about her daughter and couldn't sleep soundly.

I went to my daughter's bedside and touched her forehead. She didn't have a fever and was breathing evenly.

She got dressed and prepared to wash up before cooking. Just then, Kong Xiuyan woke up, and Liu Fangxiang hugged her daughter, crying.

Kong Xiuyan also hugged her mother and sobbed. Liu Fangxiang looked at her daughter and cried, "Silly child, my silly child, you can't do this anymore. How can I live without you? Waaah... Waaah..."

Kong Xiuyan also realized that she had acted impulsively; how could she have thought of suicide? Now, thinking back, she was really foolish. Of all the things in the world, life is the most precious. Without life, everything else is meaningless.

She assured her mother, "Mother, no matter what happens in the future, I will live well. Don't worry!"

Liu Fangxiang sat on the edge of the bed and chatted with her daughter about her marriage. Kong Xiuyan said, "Mom, I only got together with Lu Gangtie six months after his divorce. He treats me very well, and he doesn't have any children at home. I will be happy if I marry him."

Liu Fangxiang gradually accepted her son-in-law, and then asked, "How old is he? I've heard from others that he's very old."

Kong Xiuyan said nonchalantly, "No, Mother isn't old. She's only 12 years older than me. She's in her prime. Men who are a little older tend to be more caring."

Liu Fangxiang said, "You're 20 years old this year, and he's 32. You're not young anymore. If you want to get married, then hurry up and get the wedding done! Didn't you say you're already pregnant? You won't look good when your belly gets bigger."

Kong Xiuyan was surprised that her mother was so easy to talk to now, and even urged her to get married. She was very happy and touched. Her mother still cared about her.

Liu Fangxiang added, "After the New Year, you two can hold your engagement and wedding together! Make some time to rest tomorrow and the day after, bring him back, let's meet, and set a date."

Kong Xiuyan was overjoyed and hugged her mother affectionately, her lips crinkling with laughter. Liu Fangxiang thanked her mother repeatedly, feeling that this was the happiest moment for her daughter.

She told her daughter to lie down and rest for a while, then went to the kitchen to cook. She left the room to get busy.

Kong Xiuyan turned over, wanting to continue sleeping, but she was too excited to fall asleep. She thought about going to find Lu Gangtie at noon today and telling him the good news.

When Kong Shangbiao and Jin Bao got up, breakfast was already prepared.

Jinbao saw that his sister was no longer so scared. Kong Xiuyan felt guilty, afraid that her brother's mental illness had worsened, so she didn't dare to talk to him.

Kong Jinbao looked at his second sister cautiously and asked, "Second sister, are you alright? Does it still hurt?"

Kong Xiuyan also looked at him and said, "Little brother, I'm sorry, your second sister scared you yesterday."

Jinbao shook her head. "No, Second Sister, I'm not scared anymore. I've grown up now."

Kong Xiuyan patted her younger brother's head with relief, "Little brother, your second sister is alright now, it doesn't hurt at all. Little brother still loves his second sister so much, when your second sister has money, she'll buy you delicious food."

Hearing her second sister's words, Jinbao regained her good mood. Her face beamed with joy, and she grabbed her second sister's hand, making a pinky promise.

Kong Xiuyan cheered up after comforting her younger brother. After breakfast, she tidied herself up.

She dressed herself up, put on some nice clothes, and wore a stretchy woolen hat to cover her wounds before heading to find Lu Gangtie.

This time, instead of sneaking out, she stood tall and went to town openly and confidently.

At Lu Gangtie's home in town, his mother was pressuring him, "How old are you this year? Why aren't you married yet? Can't you still forget that little bitch Ning Tina? She ran off with someone else, and you're divorced. Why are you still thinking about her?"

Lu Gangtie said helplessly, "Mother, you misunderstood. It's not that I don't want to look, it's that I haven't found a suitable one."

He added, "But now I've found the right person, and she's still a virgin."

Mother Lu said happily, "Really? Then hurry up and bring it home so I can see it."

Lu Gangtie said, "Mother, don't be anxious. She's 12 years younger than me, and her parents might not even be willing!"

Mother Lu became even more anxious and said, "Ah? So much younger, is she a person who can live a stable life? Don't let her become another vixen like Ning Tina."

Lu Gangtie was speechless. "Mother, don't talk nonsense. You can't be afraid of a rope for ten years just because you were bitten by a snake once! This girl is perfectly fine!"

Lu's mother said worriedly, "I'm afraid you'll be bewitched by a vixen, get swindled out of all your money, and then be cheated out of everything."

Lu Gangtie didn't want to say anything more, so he could only bring Kong Xiuyan back to show her.

Kong Xiuyan found Lu Gangtie's house based on the address. Standing at the gate, she looked at the grand courtyard and exclaimed, "What a beautiful house!"

This is a large tile-roofed house with five main rooms. To the left and right are side rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. To the southwest is a toilet next to a storeroom. The main gate is a newly built red tin gate.

The yard is large; after driving the car home, there's an open space to use as a drying area.

Kong Xiuyan couldn't help but think that his former wife was truly ungrateful. Such a large house, a wealthy family, and such a good person—how could that woman have been so foolish as to have an affair?

I really can't understand it. It seems there are still many people in this world who like to act foolishly and make things difficult for themselves. It's true that greed knows no bounds.

She knocked on the door, but there was no response. Perhaps it wasn't strong enough, so she knocked harder.

A woman's voice, around 56 years old, came from inside. "Who is it? Wait a moment, open the door right away."

The old woman opened the door and saw a beautiful young woman standing at her front door. After looking her over carefully, she realized she didn't recognize her and had never seen her before.

She's quite pretty, with big eyes, a high nose, yellow skin, and full lips. However, she lacks color and looks thin and frail, likely due to malnutrition, which explains her unnaturally pale complexion.

She was dressed simply and neatly: a beige cotton-padded jacket, black stretch pants, and black leather shoes. She wore a red hat, and a long, thick, black braid hung down her chest. She wasn't glamorous; she looked like someone who lived a simple life.

The old woman asked, "Young lady, who are you looking for?"

Kong Xiuyan said, "Hello, ma'am, is this Lu Gangtie's house? I'm looking for Lu Gangtie."

The old woman was secretly pleased, thinking, "Could this be the girl my son was talking about? She really is a nice person!"

The old woman smiled broadly, her face full of wrinkles. "Oh! Yes, this is it. Lu Gangtie is my son."

Kong Xiuyan quickly flattered the old lady, "Oh! You're his mother! You're so beautiful and look so young. No wonder Brother Lu is so handsome; he inherited your good looks."

The old lady was even happier; the girl looked good and spoke in a pleasant tone. She was very satisfied.

Quickly invite the person into the yard. He calls out to his son, "Gangti, Gangti, come out quickly, someone is looking for you."

Lu Gangtie had just finished talking to his mother and went to the toilet when he heard someone looking for him. He found it strange that someone would be looking for him at this hour.

He quickly pulled up his pants and stepped out of the bathroom when he saw Kong Xiuyan standing in the yard talking to her mother. Both of them looked very happy; it seemed her mother was quite pleased with her daughter-in-law.